Monday, September 10, 2012

Monday Thoughts

Another rather sleepless night...ho hum, I am sure you are getting quite tired of me talking about my sleepless nights, well so am I.  But I definitely blame myself for last night.  I slept quite nicely 2, yes 2, nights in a row....I thought I was on a good roll.  But then, yesterday afternoon while stranded at home because of "the car" as I read my book (The Language of Flowers, quite good, I am enjoying it) I tended to nod off and I nodded off for rather long periods of time.  So thus, time for bed and with one too many nod-offs I had trouble falling asleep.  OK done with that thought.


And while I am relating some Monday thoughts I am inserting "barn" images from the Saturday drive when I did NOT drive my car.

And speaking of the car....I called the dealer first thing this AM to find out what happened, how much it was gonna cost me and to ask them to change the oil prior to me picking it up.  Well 1) there was a bolt loose or missing that held the transmission in place YIKES!!) 2) there was no charge...whew!! and 3) they changed the oil, let me use a coupon, re-programmed my blue-tooth which had not been done since I bought the new I-Phone and removed oil that had splashed all over the front of my car when I ran over a can of oil in the garage.  So this whole episode with the breakdown, the towing, the fixing, the oil change only ended up costing me $21.95.  I'll take blessings like that everyday...thank you very much.


Next thought...this mornings Chicago Tribune's headlines were Teacher's On Strike, the first time in 25 years.  I hate (strong word) reading that teachers are on strike, denying our children the education they need.  The issues or disputes are....Salaries - the school day has been lengthened so the teacher's wanted a 30% raise over 2 years....30% come on...who has seen a 15% raise in a year in the last few years??  I guess the teachers think that because their hours at school have increased that due compensation is expected.  But what I hear from the work force is that when there are cut backs, and your work is increased, you are just thankful to have a job.  Job Security - yeah we would all love that and Teacher Evaluations.  Teachers don't want student performance tied to their evaluations.  In my feeble mind I would think that would be a strong indicator of how well the teacher is doing if the students do well.  So....in other words, I have little sympathy nor do I offer my support for these teachers.  Get back to work and do the job you are supposed to do, teach and teach well.  OK...that was a strong thought.  I have probably angered some of you that are teachers, but I am just offering my thoughts, you do not have to agree.


No support for teachers but this little barn/shed sure could use some extra support...


To calm myself down after getting all up in arms over the Teacher's Strike and after picking up my car, I drove to the Arboretum which offers calmness to all who enter.  Being Monday it was slight on automobile traffic, but heavy on bicycle traffic, something that I should be doing.  But instead I parked the car and went wandering down the paths and luxuriated in the peacefulness.  Definitely praying and thanking God as I walked for his continued blessings.  As I left the Arboretum I was in a better state of mind.

I guess I kinda felt like the cattle in the fields and the birds in the sky....no worries.


"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.  Are you not worth much more than they?"  `  Matthew 6:26

Linking to Trish's Barn Charm....

Until next time....


23 comments:

  1. Your posts always make me sit back and ponder. Those barns are absolutely stunning. I would love to find some around here to shoot.
    And ... btw ... I agree with you about teachers!
    Hope you sleep better tonight! :-)

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  2. beautiful shots. i love your work. always do. you make me smile.

    both my parents were teachers (now retired) but whatever was different about their school compared to Chicago... they were not in a union & could never fight the school board or not work... they never got the money they deserved though ... teachers deserve the world ... considering what they have to put up with ... kids are nuts these days. no one out there should get more money than what teachers make ... i guess i get frustrated when i hear what sports people make compared to what teachers make that teach our kids what they will learn to enter our world & workplaces ... makes no sense. so i sort of understand the strike... but not totally there. so i can understand your thoughts too. but i wish we could all get along ... so it is tough. ha. ha!!

    curious. have you ever had to buy blogger photo space ...if so ...what option did you pick ...i'm at that stage & i'm concerned with what to do??! got to make my decision now. makes me nervous. would love to hear you thoughts. thanks!! big hugs. (:

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  3. In with D... Actually your teacher strikes made our paper here in CA. I guess wherever u go, schools are in trouble-plain and simple. Your barn shots are breathtaking Deanna

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  4. i like that huge roof slope on that one barn. but i like the first 'classic' scene. :)

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  5. I love all the photos, including the cows!

    How fortunate that your car repairs cost so much less than what they could've cost!

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  6. I very much like your photos and the way you've processed them. Very nice, Deanna!

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  7. Love all your barn photos, Deanna. The round one is really different.
    That Bible verse is one of my favorites! I hope you sleep better tonight.

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  8. Deanna,
    1- I like your new header!
    2- Not sleeping is NOT FUN, hope you can get some rest tonight.
    3- The second barn is very interesting. I kind of think it's a corn crib and but I have never seen one like it.
    4- I saw a blip about the teachers, but didn't read any more than the headline. Today's children are tomorrows leaders, they need a solid education.
    5- Wow what a find on the last barn! Just look at that roof. I would love to see the inside.

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  9. I am finding the texture of your photos very appealing. Very pretty, looks like watercolor paintings. The barns this week are so interesting, such a variety.

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  10. My mother never ever wanted to be absent from her class. She always told us she feels bad for her pupils. She's been a teacher for 36 years and that is how she love her pupils and her job. For me when the work force know and learn about unions that is when strikes and rallies came in. And in the Philippines those whose companies whose employees are having rallies or strikes all the time asking for the rise of their wages are all gone and bankrupt.

    Love your barns they are so pretty and unique specially the second photo. Thanks for sharing.


    Kim,USA

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  11. Your photos are beautiful - they almost look like paintings! The barns are all so charming, and I really love the cows, too. Thanks for your advice about the class - I think I really needed someone to confirm what I was thinking. Time is just so precious to me right now. Have a great week, and I hope you get a good night's sleep.

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  12. You sure have had some great pictures of barns, enjoyed seein all the different types. Good for you on the car fix. Sorry you are having a lot of trouble sleeping, hope tonight will be different. Take care.

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  13. Oh, I love all these...especially the ones with the painted effect. Look at how pretty the sky looks in that photo of the big barn! I share your same thoughts on the teachers' strike, by the way. Really anyone who bellyaches about their job with the economy the way that it is kind of gets on my nerves. Anyway, hope you have a restful night :)

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  14. You found some interesting, but rather unsafe-looking barns.

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  15. I love the way you're processing these barns! It's just gorgeous. I wish I could find even one like that around here --

    I have to disagree with you about teachers, having been a teacher educator for 30 years. At my school, faculty haven't had a raise for 5 years or so, and their pay is already out of line with what's standard at other universities. At the same time, our class sizes have grown, in some cases hugely, and we have had time taken away for the things we are required to do -- where a person would previously be relieved of a class in order to be the undergraduate coordinator, say, that time is gone and you're teaching an additional class (with more students) and you *still* have to be the undergraduate coordinator for your department. When the faculty threaten to go on strike, the news reduces the whole situation to sound bites that make the teachers sound greedy and unreasonable. Another issue is that jobs teaching college are few and far in between and you can't just change jobs the way that an accountant, say, could. Once you get tenure (at least at the college level), you are stuck for life at that university, no matter how bad it gets. And our union, anyway, has been pretty much helpless to stop the tide on these things.

    Well, I'll stop now! I completely understand the way you feel, looking at it from the outside, but like many situations, it's more complicated than it looks!
    [stepping off my soapbox now :)]

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  16. Well, you know, in any other job you get evaluated based on your performance and if you don't perform well, sometimes you just don't get to stay at that job. Why shouldn't we evaluate teachers based on how well the students are doing...and as for adding more time/work to the day...welcome the the rest of the world. My husband has to travel more because of more job added to his job, without extra pay. In fact we have even taken a paycut, but having been on the other end, with NO job....let's just say it's better than the alternative. Those teachers, if they are really in it for the kids, if that is what they love to do...they need to buck up and get back to work and if not they should let someone who does care take their place. I don't think anyone denies that it's a tough job at times, but it is the profession that they chose, and like Tricia said in this economy, if you have a job and are willing to put it in jeopardy, well I would have to say my violin is packed away! : )

    Oh yeah, your photos are lovely as usual, loving the one of the cows and the birds!!

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  17. beautiful photos...i just love them all!

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  18. I am really loving your edits lately! And don't get me started on the teacher's strike. Grrrrr... You did what I like to do when feeling stressed: spend time out in nature with God's creation. Instant calming effect and no drugs or alcohol necessary. :) Hope you get a good night's sleep tonight.

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  19. @Kim -- we will have to agree to disagree :) At the college level, we are evaluated constantly -- required student evaluations each semester, you are seriously evaluated every year for six years, you're observed teaching every year and during that time you are on a yearly contract -- they can fire you any year if you're not doing well. I don't argue a bit that there are poor h.s. teachers, and I would support a similar kind of evaluation for them, but I'm not sure I would tie it *only* to student performance. Anyhoo . . . :)

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  20. Great photos of the barns. I like the one of the huge barn with the skirt roof line. You can put many a herd of angus under that roof.

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  21. $22 for all that? Who do you use & ask them to open a shop here in Southeast Missouri, PLEASE! I just paid $35 for an oil change alone... the one before that cost $50, but that was my fault for taking my aunt's recommendation of an expensive place! Also, I'm going to have to take my car back to them cuz they didn't turn off the 'Change oil' light.
    We should all be entitled to our opinions, too, except these days so many subjects are off limits & the people are being denied their opinions... Isn't this America? Home of the brave... Home of the free? What's that in the Constitution? Freedom of speech? Isn't that the one? And religious freedom? But, they're all being attacked these days... we're headed down a very damaging & dangerous road, if you ask me!

    Anyway, on a much lighter subject... your shots are beautiful & the barns gorgeous! =)

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